Dental lip and tongue holder



(No Model.)

J. H. DOYLE.

DENTAL LIP AND TONGUE HOITDER.

No. 278,520. Patented 'May 29,1883.

' INVENTOR: 0%14/ 26- 9 WITNESSES: la 6W1 ATTORNEYS.

N. PElE fls Phola Lilhngnpher, Washin ton, D.c.

y UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'JOHN H. DOYLE, OF HILLSBOROQGH, OHIO.

DENTAL LIP AND TONGUE HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,520, dated May 29, 1883.

Application filed October 17,1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, J OHN HARRISON DOYLE, of Hillsborough,in .the county of Highlarid and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Lip and Tongue Holdem for Dental and Surgical Uses,of which the following isja full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the annexed drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention consists of an instrument for depressing and elevating either the lips or the tongue, as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 an end View, of my lipand tongue holder; and Fig. 3 shows one way of applying theinstrumentito use.

The lip and tongue holder is formed'with a curved plate, 'A, set nearly at right angles to the handle B, with the edges adjacent to the handle sloping downward therefrom to the ends of the plate. Theedge of the plate opposite to the handle is formed with three scallops, a b a, the central one being deeper than the others. The handle B may be formed in one piece or in two, as shown in the drawings, with the ends opposite the plate A made broad and slightly concave-convex.

The operation is as follows By holding the handle with the plate A downward, the plate may be inserted between the lower lip and the gums, in which position, when the handle is slightly depressed, the lips will be held apart from the gums, so as to display thelower teeth. By holding the handle with the plate A above the plane thereof, the plate may be inserted between the upperlip and the gums, so that by elevating the handle the upper teeth will be displayed. By passing the plate into the mouth in the same position as that described for depressing the lower lip, it may be inserted under the tongue if the latter is first turned up against the roof of the month by the person operated upon, and in this position it may be pressed gently back againstthe under side of the tongue, so, as to hold it secure] y out of the way of anyoperation upon the freenum. By reversing theinstrument end for end, the handle maybe used for. depressing the tongue, while the plate serves in this position as a convenient handle. It will be seen that in the above-described uses the scallops a b to. serve to accommodate the muscles and ligaments of the lips and tongue, in order that they shall not be pained during theuse of the instrument.

This invention is valuable not only to the dental profession, but to surgeons in the treatment of ulcers and other diseases of the mouth.

What I claim is- The instrument having the curved plate secured to a handle, and having the edges of the plate nearest the handle sloping from the handle, andthe edge oppositeto the handle provided with one or more scallops, substantially as and for the purposes described.

JOHN HARRISON DOYLE.

Witnesses:

J. B.WORLEY, NORVAL MCMEEKIN. 

